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		<H2><A name="HDRDEBUG" ></A>8.2 Using the Message Window</H2>
		<A NAME="IDX855"></A>
		<P>
The Message window allows you to monitor the progress of a visual program as it
executes.
It displays information, warning and error messages from the executive
and output from the Print and Echo modules (if you include them in
your visual program).
<P>
You can use the Print module, for example, to print the contents
of an object.
See Print in <I>IBM Visualization Data Explorer User&#39;s Reference</I> for
more information.
You can use the Echo module to print values or strings.
See Echo in <I>IBM Visualization Data Explorer User&#39;s Reference</I>.
<P>
To open the Message window, select the <TT><STRONG>Open Message
Window</STRONG></TT>
option from the <TT><STRONG>Windows</STRONG></TT> pull-down menu of either the
Image window or the VPE window.
The Message window
consists of a text window and various pull-down menus.
When a visual program is running, any information, warnings, or errors sent by
the server to the user interface are shown in the display area.
(See also <A HREF="usrgu039.htm#HDRERMSGS">"Error Messages"</A>.)
<P>
The Message window allows users to save the contents of the text window
in two different ways.
The <TT><STRONG>Save As...</STRONG></TT> command of the Message window&#39;s
<TT><STRONG>File</STRONG></TT> menu brings up a File Selection dialog box that
allows the user to designate a file to which the current
contents of text window are to be saved.
Alternatively, the <TT><STRONG>Log...</STRONG></TT> command of the
<TT><STRONG>File</STRONG></TT>
menu brings up a File Selection dialog box that allows the user to
designate a file that will receive all subsequent messages
displayed in the text window.
<P>
The Message window provides a number of techniques to help the user
locate the source of errors and warnings.
Before each successful execution of the visual program, the string
"Begin execution" is placed in the text window.
This allows the user to more easily determine whether messages are the
result of the most recent execution.
Also, any line in the text window can be highlighted before execution.
Highlighted lines remain highlighted over executions, making it easy
to locate a marker indicating the beginning of execution.
This technique is particularly useful when a large amount of information
(from Print or Echo) is being displayed in the Message window.
Alternatively, the contents of the text window can be removed with the
<TT><STRONG>Clear</STRONG></TT> option of the Message window&#39;s
<TT><STRONG>Edit</STRONG></TT>
menu.
<P>
When an error occurs during the execution of a module, the errant module
can be located in the VPE by double-clicking on the line in the
Message window&#39;s text window containing the error message.
This selection causes the VPE&#39;s canvas to shift so that the
indicated module is within the canvas&#39;s scrolled viewing
area.
Errors for the last execution can also be located using the <TT><STRONG>Next
Error</STRONG></TT> and <TT><STRONG>Previous Error</STRONG></TT> commands of the
Message
window&#39;s <TT><STRONG>Edit</STRONG></TT> menu.
These commands expose and highlight errors that occurred before or
after the currently highlighted error.
If no error is currently highlighted, then <TT><STRONG>Previous
Error</STRONG></TT>
indicates the last error during execution and <TT><STRONG>Next
Error</STRONG></TT> indicates the first error.
<P>
The Message window can be configured so that it does not display certain
message types in the text window (by using the <TT><STRONG>Error
Messages</STRONG></TT>, <TT><STRONG>Warning Messages</STRONG></TT>, and
<TT><STRONG>Information Messages</STRONG></TT> buttons in the
Message window&#39;s <TT><STRONG>Options</STRONG></TT>
pull-down menu).
If a toggle button is activated (colored), the corresponding message
type is displayed.
The default behavior is to display all error, warning, and information
messages.
You can change this default behavior with the <TT>infoEnabled</TT>,
<TT>warningEnabled</TT>, and <TT>errorEnabled</TT>
configuration options described in
<A HREF="usrgu075.htm#HDRAPF">Appendix D. "User Interface Configuration"</A>.
By default, the Message window pops up when an error is displayed in
the text window and does not automatically pop up when
information or warning messages are displayed.
You can also change this default behavior with the
<TT>infoOpensMessage</TT>,
<TT>warningOpensMessage</TT>, and
<TT>errorOpensMessage</TT>
configuration options described in <A HREF="usrgu075.htm#HDRAPF">Appendix D.
"User Interface Configuration"</A>.
<P>
Lastly, when connected to the server, the <TT><STRONG>Execute Script
Command...</STRONG></TT> command of the Message window&#39;s
<TT><STRONG>Options</STRONG></TT> menu allows commands to be issued
directly to the server.
However, only advanced users should use this feature, as the results of
the commands entered can upset the state of the visual program.
This command brings up the <TT><STRONG>Execute Script Command</STRONG></TT>
dialog box, which will accept a single command in a 1-line text window.
Any messages that result from this command appear in the Message
window&#39;s text window.

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